Synthesis and analytical use of 3-carboxypropionyl-alanyl-alanyl-valine-4-nitroanilide: a specific substrate for human leukocyte elastase.

A simple synthesis is described for 3-carboxypropionyl-Ala-Ala-Val-4-nitroanilide, a convenient and very specific substrate for human leukocyte elastase (Km = 1.0mM, kcat = 8.7 s-1). The substrate does not undergo appreciable spontaneous hydrolysis. It is not cleaved by trypsin or chymotrypsin and only rather slowly by porcine pancreatic elastase (Km = 9.1mM, kcat = 1.4 s-1).